谁？
shéi?
Who?
How to say "What should I do?" in Chinese
怎么办？
zěnme bàn?
What should I do?
Character breakdown
怎
how
zěn
么
suffix
me
办
to handle
bàn
Grammar and structure
怎么 (zěnme) means 'how' and 办 (bàn) means 'to handle' or 'to do'. Together, 怎么办 literally means 'how to handle it', but is used as a set phrase for 'What should I do?'
Variations and politeness
怎么办呢？
zěnme bàn ne
What should I do? — Adds a tone of uncertainty or pondering.
我该怎么办？
wǒ gāi zěnme bàn
What should I do? — More personal, emphasizing the speaker.
怎么办呀？
zěnme bàn ya
What should I do? — More casual and conversational.
Mini dialogue
A
我不知道该怎么办。
Wǒ bù zhīdào gāi zěnme bàn.
I don't know what to do.
B
你可以问别人，怎么办？
Nǐ kěyǐ wèn biérén, zěnme bàn?
You can ask someone else what to do.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you are in a difficult situation and need a solution.
- When you want to ask for advice or help.
- When you feel helpless or frustrated about a problem.
Avoid when
- When you are asking for directions or instructions (use 怎么走 or 怎么做 instead).
- When you are making a polite request (use 请问 or 麻烦你 instead).
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'What should I do?' in Chinese?
You can say 怎么办 (zěnme bàn?). It literally means 'how to handle it' but is used as a set phrase for 'What should I do?'
How do you pronounce 怎么办?
It is pronounced zěnme bàn? with the tone marks: zěn (third tone), me (neutral), bàn (fourth tone).
When do you use 怎么办?
Use 怎么办 when you are in a bind and need a solution, like missing a train or losing your wallet. It's common in both casual and serious contexts.
More phrases for this situation
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